- City:
- Cleveland, OH
- Site Type:
- Art Works, Murals
- New Deal Agencies:
- Arts Programs, Public Works of Art Project (PWAP)
- Artist:
- Ambrozi Paliwoda
Description
“In the Cleveland region, the Cleveland Public Library was the largest recipient of art that was funded by Federal programs in the Depression era. The leadership of Linda Eastman, Library Director from 1918 to 1938, was crucial. She believed in the importance of the arts in supporting learning and she was encouraged by the enthusiasm of her brother, painter William Joseph Eastman.
Three major murals were painted for the Main Library Building; six murals were painted for branch libraries; children’s sections were decorated with ceramics and dolls (pg 33) that served as aids during story-telling; numerous easel paintings portrayed historical and literary themes; and prints from the graphics’ workshop filled library walls and flat files. The Library has been an excellent steward of this legacy, and has continued the tradition of incorporating art into its buildings to this day—as new branches have been built over the past several decades, art has always been part of the building project.”
Source notes
Sharon E. Dean and Karal Ann Marling, Covering History: Revisiting Federal Art in Cleveland, 1933-43. The Cleveland Public Library and the Cleveland Artists Foundation, 2006. (Quote: p. 56). Cleveland Public Library: https://www.cpl.org/BooksMoviesMore/OnlineExhibitHall/NewDealArtCollection/Murals.aspxContribute to this Site
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Jerry Paliwoda
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Jerry Paliwoda. Ambrozi (Amby) Paliwoda was my father. Is the Library in possession of, or have knowledge of the whereabouts of, any other of my father’s works/murals?
Sincerely,
Jerry C. Paliwoda
1315 Cordova Street
#307
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Dear Mr. Paliwoda,
Thank you very much for your great question about your father Ambrozi (“Amby”) Paliwoda’s work! We are very fortunate to have his mural, “Out of the Past, the Present; Out of the Material, the Spiritual,” here at the Cleveland Public Library, and it is a delight to hear from you!
Your father’s mural was originally on display at our Jefferson Branch in the Tremont neighborhood (his neighborhood branch, and the one that he worked as a page at in 1925!). We are remodeling several of our branches, including Jefferson, at present; “Out of the Past” is currently on display at our nearby South Branch. Once construction at Jefferson is complete, the mural will be returned there, where it will be displayed for all of our visitors! (You can see a bit about Jefferson Branch at https://cpl.org/locations/jefferson/, and South Branch at https://cpl.org/locations/south/.)
“Out of the Past” is the only work of your father’s that we have here at the Cleveland Public Library. I have so far been unable to locate any of his pieces that may be located in other institutions, but I have put in an inquiry to our Fine Arts Department here at the Library and will let you know here what I learn!
We have a bit of other information on your father in our Archives, and I’d be happy to share it with you, if you’d like! I have also requested your father’s clipping file from the Ingalls Library at the Cleveland Museum of Art, and I will of course be happy to share its contents with you as well!
Many thanks!
Melissa Carr
Archivist
Cleveland Public Library
325 Superior Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44114
216-623-2938
[email protected]